The caldera within Yellowstone National Park is dubbed a supervolcano due to its potential to cause untold global devastation in the event of a supervolcanic eruption. It was formed during the last three big events over the past 2.1 million years, with the last eruption of Lava Creek volcano occurring about 630,000 years ago. The area falls under the states of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, and the area is constantly monitored by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) for signs that history can repeat itself.

Science writer Brian Walsh explored this possibility in chilling detail in an article promoting his recently published book, End Times: A Brief Guide to the End of the World.

He wrote, “The eruption of Yellowstone would be like anything humankind has ever witnessed.

“Increasingly severe earthquakes will first come, which is a sign of magma beneath Yellowstone rushing toward the surface.

“The magma would then explode across the Earth in a gigantic explosion, emptying the toxic interior of the Earth into the air.

“It would last for days, buried Yellowstone in lava within a radius of 40 miles.”

“The devastation around Yellowstone would be just the beginning,” Mr. Walsh stated, adding that the supervolcanic eruption would “bury large swathes of Colorado, Wyoming and Utah in up to three feet of toxic volcanic ash.”

He added, “Depending on the weather patterns, a large portion of the Midwest will get a few inches as well, plunging the region into darkness.”

Even coasts – where the majority of Americans live – will likely see dust as the ash cloud spreads.

Crops will be destroyed, and pastures will be polluted.

Read more: Predicting Yellowstone volcano eruption after the caldera ‘hour’ the scientist set

“It will destroy power lines and electrical transformers, which could cause much of the network to fail.”

According to Mr. Walsh, the effects could be felt “globally if a volcano’s eruption occurs during the summer” as the toxic cloud can block sunlight and “lower global temperatures” for years.

“The rainfall will drop sharply. This may be enough to cause the death of the tropical rainforest.”

Agriculture could fall apart, starting in the Midwest.

Citing a group of researchers from a 2015 European Science Foundation report, Walsh agreed that the Yellowstone super explosion would be “the biggest disaster since the dawn of civilization.”

But the US Geological Survey says there is no need to fear.

Experts at the government agency estimate the likelihood of a volcanic eruption in every 730,000 in any given year.

A recent study also indicated that the hotspot could be currently in decline.

The discovery was based on analysis of volcanic deposits spread across tens of thousands of kilometers in the area.

“End Times: A Brief Guide to the End of the World” has been published by Hachette Books and is available at Buy here.